<storage> (Or cache block) The smallest unit of memory than
can be transferred between the main memory and the cache.
Rather than reading a single word or byte from main memory at
a time, each cache entry is usually holds a certain number of
words, known as a "cache line" or "cache block" and a whole
line is read and cached at once. This takes advantage of the
principle of locality of reference: if one location is read
then nearby locations (particularly following locations) are
likely to be read soon afterward. It can also take advantage
of page-mode DRAM which allows faster access to
consecutive locations.
(1997-01-21)
Nearby terms:
cache conflict « cache consistency « cache hit « cache line » cache memory » cache miss » Cache On A STick
